Russian President Dmitry Medvedev met with South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity in Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi on August 13.

The meeting came five days after Medvedev paid a brief visit to Sokhumi, where he met with Abkhaz leader, Sergey Bagapsh.

“Last two years have showed that Russia's decision to protect population of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and to recognize these states' independence were necessary. This [decision] gave possibility to these people to develop instead of being exterminated as a result of genocide,” Medvedev told Kokoity, according to the Kremlin's website.